Rumors from the Campaign Trail

I have heard many versions of a rumor of a contract between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.  The deal is that she will get out of the race if he will get her campaign out of its debt . . .  to her.  In other words, it’s greenmail: Obama would be paying Clinton to go away.

Yesterday, “The Caucus,” the New York Times politics blog reported that Obama “would not rule out thepossibility of helping Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton retire hercampaign debt to bring her into the fold and unify Democrats,” although discussions have not yet taken place.  Various websites provide versions of the rumor and commentary.  For example, Ashish on  411mania.com notes the irony that “Obama wouldessentially be using money people donated to his campaign to BEATClinton to pay off the debts Clinton accumulated while trying to beatObama.”  Forbes characterized the plan as a “buyout.”

Apparently, that notion had some Obama supporters up in arms, as they do not want their campaign donations to go to Hillary.  As “The Caucus” reports, Obama staffers are now saying that there would be a separate fundraising drive to raise money for Hillary’s reimbursement. 

A scientific poll on Democratic Underground.com suggests that 58% of the people scientifically selected to participate in the poll would oppose any assumption by Obama’s campaign of the Clinton debt.

[Jeremy Telman]